Chapter 3 – I want to end my relationship with you.
Rong Tang certainly knew Jiang Bao’er was just playing along, but he didn’t expect that even the dog emperor could see through it. These days, he had been teetering between life and death, mostly in a muddled state, but he could feel that the dog emperor seemed different from before. Although still detestable, the way he was detestable had changed.
“Your Majesty knows quite a lot.”
“Of course,” Zhao Qi said with an inscrutable look. “I also know who gave you that poison.”
Surprised? Caught off guard? Quickly show me a dumbfounded expression.
Rong Tang’s expression remained unchanged. He coughed lightly and said, “I told you before, this matter is my doing alone.”
“No, no,” Zhao Qi waved his finger. “You brought nothing when you entered the palace. The eunuchs and palace maids here wouldn’t dare to give you poison. So where did your poison come from?”
Rong Tang said, “Please continue, Your Majesty.”
“I thought long and hard. The only person who could give you poison and has the motive to do so is my brother—Prince Huai, Zhao Tong.”
Rong Tang’s gaze darkened slightly, and he looked at Zhao Qi with a bit more scrutiny.
Prince Huai, Zhao Tong, the absolute protagonist of “The Boundless Great Jing,” was the dog emperor’s half-brother. Zhao Tong had lived in the shadows of the dog emperor and the Empress Dowager Wen since childhood. To survive, he pretended to be foolish, claiming he was impotent and unable to have children, which earned him the Empress Dowager’s reluctant mercy and a poor fief in the north. Zhao Qi in the north bided his time, winning people’s hearts. When the time was right, he raised an army, swept southward like a storm, stormed the capital, and replaced the dog emperor.
Zhao Tong, as the protagonist, was constantly exuding his damned charm. In “The Boundless Great Jing,” any handsome and talented man was subdued by him, and Rong Tang was one of them.
Zhao Tong and Rong Tang had been close since childhood, as close as brothers. When Rong Tang was taken into the palace by the dog emperor, Zhao Tong had not yet gone to his northern fief. He knelt outside Yonghua Palace, begging the dog emperor to rescind the order. The dog emperor, truly a dog, not only ignored him but also gave him thirty lashes, sending him away quickly.
Zhao Tong left the capital wounded. Before leaving, he risked his life to see Rong Tang once more and gave him the poison.
Zhao Tong said, “Brother Rong, I know that serving others with your looks is more painful than death for you. But I hope you can wait for me to return. But if you can’t bear it any longer… keep this poison with you.”
Rong Tang was deeply moved and said, “I will wait for you.”
At that moment, Zhao Qi, who witnessed this scene, was confused: ???
I really can’t understand the affection between you ancient people.
Zhao Qi, full of confidence, said, “Judging by your reaction, I guessed right.”
“Wrong.”
“Huh?” Zhao Qi was dumbfounded. “Impossible! That’s exactly what the book says!”
Rong Tang said calmly, “Since Your Majesty is so sure, why bother asking me?”
Only then did Zhao Qi realize he had almost been misled by Rong Tang. Teasingly, he said, “You and Prince Huai have such a deep relationship. If I let you out of the palace, you’d probably pack your things and head straight to the north to find him, wouldn’t you?”
Rong Tang looked at him. “But Your Majesty won’t let me go.”
That was true. Zhao Qi couldn’t let Rong Tang go to Zhao Tong’s side unless he wanted to die sooner. Actually, to secure his throne, the best way was to kill Rong Tang and send assassins to kill Zhao Tong before he grew stronger and economically developed.
But Zhao Qi just transmigrated into a tyrant; he didn’t really become one. Whether it was Rong Tang or Zhao Tong, both were righteous characters with great talent and ambition. Zhao Qi simply couldn’t bring himself to do it.
“Indeed, I won’t let you go,” Zhao Qi said.
Rong Tang closed his eyes. “Why?”
Zhao Qi lied through his teeth. “Because I like you.”
After talking for so long, Rong Tang seemed a bit exhausted. His face was pale as paper, and his lips had no trace of blood. “There are countless beauties in the world. Why is Your Majesty so fixated on me?”
“Because you are beautiful.”
Rong Tang laughed lightly. “Beautiful… Everyone says Prime Minister Xiao is the most handsome man in Great Jing. Why doesn’t Your Majesty like him?”
Because it’s necessary for the plot, the author set it this way.
“Of course, I don’t just like your face,” Zhao Qi bluffed. “Your writing is excellent. I especially like it.”
Rong Tang lowered his eyes. “Oh.”
Zhao Qi was exasperated. “You keep saying ‘oh’ all the time. I forbid you from saying ‘oh’ anymore!”
Rong Tang started coughing again, a fit so severe that Zhao Qi feared he might cough up his lungs. He ordered someone to take Rong Tang back to rest. Then Zhao Qi went to Mingcui Palace where Jiang Bao’er was.
Jiang Bao’er was lying in bed drinking medicine. When he saw Zhao Qi, he coughed even more violently than Rong Tang. “Your Majesty… cough, cough…”
Jiang Bao’er was eloquent and loved to act, and he slightly resembled Rong Tang in his features, which endeared him to the original emperor. Now, with tears in his eyes, he looked pitifully at Zhao Qi. “Your Majesty, it was Bao’er’s own carelessness that caused me to fall into the water. It has nothing to do with Lord Rong. Please don’t blame him.”
“Don’t worry,” Zhao Qi cooperated with his performance. “Not only did I not blame him, but I also comforted him. Are you happy?”
Jiang Bao’er’s big eyes showed even bigger confusion. “Uh?”
Zhao Qi held back a laugh, sat by the bed, and asked, “Baby, I’ve been busy recently and haven’t had time to see you. Are you very bored?”
Jiang Bao’er shook his head. “Not bored, just missing you so much that it hurts. Now that I see you, Bao’er…”
Jiang Bao’er leaned his head on Zhao Qi’s shoulder, but Zhao Qi discreetly moved away and said, “You can’t think about me all the time, twelve hours a day. If you’re bored, find something to do. For example, count how many bricks there are in Mingcui Palace and which ones have cracks.”
Jiang Bao’er was so frightened that his face turned pale. “Your Majesty, are you saying you don’t want Bao’er anymore?”
Jiang Bao’er was originally a courtesan at a male brothel in the capital. The dog emperor noticed him during a secret outing and brought him into the palace as a male concubine. Although he had never spent the night with the emperor, he often accompanied him for entertainment. Now that Zhao Qi no longer needed male or female concubines, what should be done with all the men and women in the harem? Take Jiang Bao’er, for instance—without family, frail, and unable to take care of himself. If he were expelled from the palace, he would probably return to his old profession just to survive. But keeping them in the palace would be a significant expense.
Zhao Qi found it very unfair. Why should he spend money on them without even holding their hands?
Zhao Qi glanced at Jiang Bao’er’s “delicate jade hands”—holding them would be more of a loss for him!
Seeing Zhao Qi’s delayed response, Jiang Bao’er was on the verge of tears. “Your Majesty, please tell Bao’er what he did wrong, and Bao’er will change immediately! Please don’t send Bao’er away—”
Zhao Qi, having had enough of his whining, decided to play the scoundrel. “To be honest with you, I am fickle and have grown tired of you. I want to end our master-servant relationship.”
Jiang Bao’er’s eyes widened. “Master-servant relationship?”
“It means you are no longer my male concubine.”
Jiang Bao’er’s tears began to fall. “Your Majesty… Is it because of Lord Rong that you no longer want Bao’er?”
Zhao Qi asked in return, “Do you want to stay in the palace?”
Jiang Bao’er nodded fervently. “Yes, Bao’er wants to stay in the palace and by Your Majesty’s side forever!”
“But the palace does not keep idle people.”
“Bao’er is willing to be a servant, to serve Your Majesty!”
Zhao Qi scrutinized Jiang Bao’er from head to toe. “Besides serving people, you can do other things too. For example, you love acting, so why not become an actor?”
Jiang Bao’er looked confused. “Your Majesty means performing in opera?”
“Something like that.”
“Bao’er can perform, I guess…”
Zhao Qi waved his hand repeatedly. “I don’t understand that… forget it, we’ll discuss this later. You rest for now, I’m leaving.”
Jiang Bao’er looked pitiful. “Will Your Majesty come again?”
“I don’t know,” Zhao Qi said. “If you’re bored, find something to do. Besides counting the bricks, you can learn to swim—both breaststroke and freestyle—so you won’t need rescuing next time you fall into the water.”
Jiang Bao’er: ???
As soon as Zhao Qi returned to Yonghua Palace, a maid from Cian Palace came to invite him, saying the Empress Dowager wanted to have dinner with him. Zhao Qi changed his clothes and rushed over, only to find the Empress Dowager still discussing state affairs with the ministers.
The head maid of the Empress Dowager, Yunxiu, asked, “Your Majesty, would you like to enter or wait outside?”
Zhao Qi glanced inside. “Who is Mother discussing matters with?”
Before Yunxiu could answer, a deep male voice came from the front. “Me.”
Yunxiu hurriedly turned and bowed to the person behind her. “Lord Xiao.”
In Zhao Qi’s mind, a barrage of thoughts flashed—Prime Minister Xiao Shiqing, who held power over the court, the most handsome man in Great Jing, and the Empress Dowager’s trusted minister.
The officially recognized most handsome man truly had otherworldly looks. Unlike Rong Tang’s fresh and breezy demeanor, Xiao Shiqing had inky sword-like eyebrows, brilliant eyes, and an innate noble air. Frankly, this prime minister looked more like an emperor than he did.
Xiao Shiqing performed a customary bow. “Your Majesty.”
Zhao Qi felt somewhat oppressed by his presence. “Rise.”
Xiao Shiqing looked at Zhao Qi with a hint of a smile. “I just heard some good news from the Empress Dowager.”
“What is it?”
Xiao Shiqing’s gaze shifted slightly downwards. “Your Majesty’s dragon…”
Zhao Qi almost lost his mind, blushing. “Stop talking about that, there are so many people here!”
Xiao Shiqing raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by Zhao Qi’s reaction. “Is Your Majesty shy? That’s not like you. Could it be that the ‘dragon’ has changed, and Your Majesty’s personality along with it?”
Zhao Qi: …
Jiang Dehai kindly reminded Xiao Shiqing, “Prime Minister, the emperor has decreed that no one is to mention those words again. Otherwise, they will have their tongues cut out!”
“Is that so?” Xiao Shiqing smiled. “So does Your Majesty plan to cut my tongue?”
Zhao Qi glared at him. “No, I’ll keep your tongue for now; it’s still useful.”
“Oh?” Xiao Shiqing said nonchalantly. “What use does it have?”
Zhao Qi: ???
Something seems off?
T/N: Yay! A new novel?! If you’re wondering if it’s a good idea to take on 4 novels at the same time; my answer – “Probably not…”
But after reading a few chapters of this, I just HAD to snatch this project up. I haven’t done transmigration with a true-doomed villain start so I want to try this one! ANYWAY, there is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!
Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep